Josh Anderson says the door isn’t closing on Montreal.
The Canadiens forward talked about the possibility of signing an extension and finishing his career in Montreal, making it clear he’s spent real time thinking about it with his family. Anderson said, “It’s something I had a lot of time w/ my family to think about.
I’ve been so fortunate to be here (..) For it be coming to an end is not something I’ve thought about.
All I’ve ever thought about is playing in MTL for my entire career. I’m a big believer in everything is going to work itself out.
Being through the ups & downs and going through the rebuild and now you got a team that’s ready to win now. How cool would it be to be a part of that?”
Anderson is 32 and in the final year of a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with a $5.5 million cap hit.
In Philadelphia, the Flyers’ rough start hasn’t pushed the organization toward a quick fix. According to Chris Johnson, a coaching change doesn’t appear to be coming, and neither does a major trade.
Johnson said, “But at this point in time, while I know all the questions make sense, I just don’t see a coaching change being made. A drastic trade is not in the offing.
I think that they believe they can figure it out internally. And you know, as time goes along, and if that doesn’t happen, perhaps you’ll see them make some moves to the roster. but at this point in time do not see a change at the head coaching position.”
The Maple Leafs are also dealing with injuries on the blue line, with Chris Tanev out and Oliver Ekman-Larsson not fully healthy. Even so, Toronto isn’t expected to rush into a move, per Chris Johnston. The Leafs believe they have enough depth to handle the short term, but Johnston said the search for defensive help is still very much alive for the bigger picture.
“But the Leafs feel they have the depth, I think, short-term to get through these kinds of issues. Now, bigger picture for sure.
We’re going to continue talking about them scouring the market for defencemen. It’s really the one area of the roster that wasn’t significantly touched, I would say, since John Chayka and Matt Sundin took over the hockey operations department.
So, you know, I think this will be something that stretches over a period of time in terms of trying to look for upgrades and improvements to that blue line.”
In Other News...
Canadiens Blue Line Suddenly Puts David Reinbacher In Focus
A thinning blue line has suddenly pushed David Reinbacher into the conversation in Montreal. The Canadiens recalled the young defenseman from the Laval Rocket after Mike Matheson went down injured, leaving the club with only six healthy blueliners as it gets ready for a matchup with the Washington Capitals.
Reinbachers arrival adds intrigue to a situation the Canadiens did not have much time to manage, but his actual role is still unsettled. Montreal has not yet confirmed whether he will make his debut against Washington or where he would slot in if he does, which leaves the club balancing immediate need with a more cautious look at how it wants to deploy him. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Interest In Dylan Larkin Comes Down To One Big Thing
Dylan Larkins situation in Detroit remains one of the more closely watched storylines around the league, and it has obvious appeal for a Canadiens front office still looking for a meaningful swing. He has not rescinded his trade request from the Red Wings and is still interested in being moved this season, while his no-movement clause gives him control over where this goes next. Reports have him open to about ten teams, a group that includes several contenders and a few clubs with clear cap space or roster flexibility.
Montreal has shown serious interest, which makes sense for a team that would love to add a player of Larkins caliber if the opportunity ever materializes. The catch is simple: he is not currently open to playing there, even though the Canadiens are said to be willing to put together a significant offer if that stance changes. For now, it is less a full-blown pursuit than a waiting game, with Montreal keeping tabs on a possibility that may depend on one big shift in Larkins thinking. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Be Fixing The Problem That Hurt Them Most
After a shaky start to the season in one of the areas that had hurt them most, the Canadiens are at least showing signs of a fix on the penalty kill. Against Buffalo, Montreal protected a 3-1 lead long enough to survive a Sabres push and eventually win in a shootout, but the more encouraging part came when the game turned chippy and special teams became a factor.
Montreals penalty killers handled every Buffalo man advantage in the game, and the recent trend now matters as much as the result itself. The Canadiens have strung together a run of successful kills over their last two games, a welcome answer after early-season trouble with power-play goals against had put extra pressure on the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]